Michigan State junior spends winter break giving back

Wherever Michigan State University junior Josh York went over winter break, he took at least one pair of socks with him in case he crossed paths with someone in need.

“With Josh, there’s just something about him and the homeless,” his mother, Lynn York, says. “He’s got a place in his heart for them and he always has a little something for them as well.”

Michigan State University alumnus Kyle Keeney (most right), gives a pair of pants to a man in need, alongside Michigan State University junior Olivia Gilson. (Amanda Chodnicki)

That proved to be true in New York City, where Josh and his family traveled for his sister’s college basketball tournament.

“We were only there for two days, so I didn’t have much time to organize something with a shelter,” Josh says.

But he still packed socks to hand out.

“I gave some to a guy that I came across, who was sleeping in the subway,” Josh York says. “I found about 10 others to donate to during my quick trip to New York City.”

Aside from his trip to the Big Apple, he had time to organize two donation events in Detroit.

Josh says that every Saturday volunteers from P.B.J. Outreach, Inc., a group focused on feeding and clothing the poor of Detroit, go out to an abandoned field next to one of the city’s homeless shelters. The group distributes food, beverages and clothing.

“It’s one of the most concentrated areas of homeless people gathered together in Detroit,” he says. “There’s usually guaranteed to be about 70 or 80 of them at that field.”

He says he went with family, friends and other MSU students to pass out items of clothing, including socks, pants, shirts and underwear. Josh estimates over 1,000 items of clothing were donated.

“I used to pass things out myself, but now, I mostly just facilitate it,” Josh York says.

He says he’s already had that good feeling one gets from helping others plenty of times.

“I’ve already done it. Now, I just like seeing people get fired up about what I’m fired up about: helping the homeless and giving back.”

He says fueling that passion within others is what is going to keep the movement going.

Clothing drives, donations from friends and families and revenue from his clothing line, York Apparel, Josh says, is why he can make big donations like the ones he did over this winter break.

Josh started York Apparel in February of 2014. He says his line follows the Tom’s shoes model — for every item sold, an item is donated to the homeless.

“I’ve had sales from 28 states and six countries,” Josh York says. “So far, I have been able to donate over 3,200 items — in mostly Detroit, Lansing, Chicago and New York City.”

He’s switching the name from York Apparel to York Project. Josh says he wants to convey that it’s more than a clothing line — it’s a project to make the world a better place. Although he hopes he made Detroit and New York City a little better this break, he has a bigger goal in mind: to fix homelessness.

“I want to set up manufacturing plants, employ homeless people, pay them and also provide them with a place to stay in the plant,” he says. “I want to build my first one in Detroit and go from there.”

He says he hopes to one day have plants across the country.

“It has made an impact on my husband and myself seeing all he has done,” his mom says. “I know he’s very determined and I foresee him doing exactly what he wants to do.”

Amanda Chodnicki is a student at Michigan State University and is a spring 2015 Collegiate Correspondent.